Grant: Deadlocked slugger Prince Fielder is enticing to Rangers

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Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

The Texas Rangers faced the difficult task of attempting to repeat as American League champions as they opened the 2011 postseason. Defeating the Rays in the ALDS and the Tigers in the ALCS, they accomplished that goal. After three World Series wins, the Rangers found themselves a strike away, but losses in a wild Game 6 and a frustrating Game 7 ended the dream of a world championship.

The longer first baseman remain available, the more interested Texas is likely to be

There are reasons why guys are still free agents as mid-January approaches.

They are coming off a cruddy year (or years). They are returning from injury. They are reaching their late 30s, when one-year, last-minute contracts become the norm.

None of these applies to Prince Semien Fielder.

He ranked in the top three in the National League in 2011 in home runs, RBIs and on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He was the only player in the majors to play 162 games in 2011. He leads the majors in games played since 2006. He is 27 years old.

And, here it is a month since the end of the winter meetings, and Fielder is still as unsigned as ancient Arthur Rhodes. This is — to put it mildly — unusual. In all likelihood, Fielder will command a deal worth $125 million or more. There have been 10 such free agent deals in baseball history. All of them were agreed to and signed long before the calendar turned to January.

The longer this goes, the more sense it makes (and the more likely it becomes) the Rangers will dive in wallet-first. It won’t be about Fielder replacing Mitch Moreland at first base. It will be about Fielder replacing Josh Hamilton in the middle of the Rangers lineup for the long haul.

It is this simple. The Rangers need a big-time left-handed run-producing bat for the middle of their lineup for the foreseeable future. With Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz all around the middle, they must have somebody to force opponents to make critical pitching decisions with the game on the line.

Right now, Hamilton does that exceptionally well when he’s healthy. Fielder’s left-handed swing is built for Arlington. After that, there really isn’t an attractive option until Cincinnati’s Joey Votto becomes a free agent after 2013.

If the Rangers don’t re-sign Hamilton or sign Fielder, they are looking at a big hole in the middle of the lineup for 2013 and perhaps beyond.

Hamilton will be a free agent after 2012 and talks on a contract extension have gone nowhere. Word is Hamilton, sensing this is his only opportunity at a long-term deal, is seeking six years and more than $100 million. That presumably would be added to the $13.75 million he will make for 2012, bringing the Rangers investment to about $120 million to $125 million for seven years. Hamilton would be 37 when the contract ends.

What can the Rangers expect? With Hamilton, a uniquely talented player, who knows? But Hamilton is often compared in talent to Mickey Mantle. Mantle was 37 when he finally hung it up after four increasingly painful and decreasingly productive seasons.

Fielder is seeking eight or more years, presumably at $20 million or more per year, making it a $160 million investment. He would be 35 at the end of that contract.

So far, nobody has bit on that kind of length. Fielder’s representative, Scott Boras, did reportedly meet with the cash-laden Washington Nationals. Those conversations only resulted in more silence. Translation: It still doesn’t appear there is a palatable deal on the table for Fielder.

The last two months have given the Rangers time to talk and time to think. The talking seems to be leading in this direction: The deals Hamilton and Fielder are seeking are not terribly dissimilar. And if that is the case, it leads to the thinking: Which would more likely be productive longer?

A year ago, the Rangers had some time to think about a Boras free agent, too. They used it to get a deal done with Adrian Beltre. The Rangers needed to go a year longer than they were comfortable with, and they needed to write a contract that gave Beltre a chance at a sixth year, providing he stays healthy.

It’s not unreasonable to think there is a compromise out there. Perhaps six guaranteed years with seventh and eighth years set up as similar options to the one Beltre has. Perhaps an escape clause for Fielder after four or for the Rangers after five.

Point is, the longer this goes, the more likely the Rangers are to decide the Hamilton talks are at an impasse and begin exploring other options.

As of now, it’s not too late.

Potential Rangers deals for two sluggers

Staff writer Evan Grant takes a stab at concocting contract proposals the Rangers could possibly make to left-handed power hitters Josh Hamilton and Prince Fielder:

Josh Hamilton

Hamilton is signed for $13.75 million in 2012 and is eligible for free agency after the season.

Highlights of proposal:

* Five guaranteed seasons

* Signing bonus of $1.25 million

* Salaries of $16 million (2013), $16.5 million (2014), $17 million (2015), $18 million (2016), $19 million (2017).

* Vesting option for $20 million 2018, which locks in at 550 plate appearances in 2017.

* If option not picked up, there will be a $1.5 million exit payment.

* Incentive bonuses of $250,000 for each year with 500 plate appearances, $500,000 or 600 plate appearances, $250,000 for every Silver Slugger Award, $100,000 for each Gold Glove.

* If player violates MLB substance abuse policy, club has ability to void remainder of contract.

* The deal would guarantee Hamilton $89.25 million over five years, an average of $17.85 million. If Hamilton makes 600 plate appearances each year, the contract value would go to at least $111.5 million for six years, an average of $18.6 million.

Prince Fielder

Highlights of proposal:

* Six guaranteed seasons

* No signing bonus

* Salaries of $12.5 million (2012), $15 million (2013), $18 million (2014), $21 million (2015), $22.5 million (2016) and $25 million (2017).

* Player has escape clause after 2015; club has escape clause after 2016. If player exercises escape clause, he will receive a $2.5 million exit payment; if club exercises escape clause, player will receive a $5 million termination payment.

* Vesting options for $25 million for each 2018 and 2019, based on 550 plate appearances in the preceding season. If option does not trigger in either year, player receives a $5 million termination payment.

* Incentive bonuses: $500,000 for each season of 550 plate appearances.

* The contract — if taken to full guaranteed length of six years — would be worth a minimum of $119 million or $19.8 million per year. If taken to full eight years, would be worth $169 million or $21.125 million per year before any incentives are included. If Fielder exercises escape clause, deal would be worth a minimum of $69 million over four years. If Rangers exercise escape clause, deal would be worth a minimum of $94 million over five years.

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